AAPI and Mental Health

Mental health transcends any group of people in the US, but there are unique challenges that exist when it comes to mental health among Asian Americans. Different studies over the past two decades show differing numbers in those who are diagnosed with a mental health disorder, but the overall trend is that Asian Americans tend to have rates of mental health disorders commensurate to the rest of the US population. The proportion of reports of mental distress among Asian Americans is lower than non-Hispanics, and Pacific Islanders have comparable rates to whites.

However, noticeably lower rates of mental health incidents does not paint the entire picture. According to the American Psychiatric Association, Asian Americans proportionally receive less mental health services than any other minority group, despite having some of the highest rates of health insurance coverage. In one study, AAPI minorities are three times less likely to seek mental health services then whites. 

Some explanations stem from cultural and structural barriers as well as an aversion to seeking help. From a cultural perspective, the model minority myth has created a generalized description of all Asian Americans, depicting them as economically and financially successful. Living up to these expectations as an Asian American leads to extreme pressures on their lives; having mental health conditions is seen as weakness, which can deter Asian Americans from seeking out diagnosis and medical help. 

Language barrier is also a contributing factor. Not only does the lack of multilingual mental health services lead to a shortage in treatment, but it may also lead to gaps in effectively diagnosing mental health problems--perhaps even misdiagnosing them. On top of this, the lack of cultural context and understanding for Asian Americans can make it more difficult to effectively identify and treat mental health problems. Other contributing factors such as racial bias and discrimination can lead to unstable mental health situations. 

Having a generalized view of Asian Americans makes it difficult to provide effective, targeted treatment to certain subgroups, further exacerbating the status quo with proportionally fewer mental health diagnoses and even fewer seeking professional help. Mental health exists across all races, genders, and identities. However, it is important to highlight the nuances of within each group in order to better understand and combat mental illnesses. The Asian American peoples are no different. 

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Sources and additional materials:

• Kramer, Elizabeth J et al. “Cultural factors influencing the mental health of Asian Americans.” The Western journal of medicine vol. 176,4 (2002): 227-31. link 

• Spencer, Michael S et al. “Discrimination and mental health-related service use in a national study of Asian Americans.” American journal of public health vol. 100,12 (2010): 2410-7. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2009.176321. link 

• Stress & Trauma contribution to Asian American mental health problems: link 

• Sources and guides for Asian Americans and mental health: link